Message from Eduard Pieters on Teachers’ Day
Eduard Pieters of the PPA party stated that every October 5th, we remember and celebrate International Teachers’ Day. It is a moment to honor the fundamental pillar of society: those who shape the generation of tomorrow. However, while the world calls teachers “architects of the future,” the reality in Aruba is much harsher and more painful.
Teaching in Aruba is much more than a profession. It is a vocation that carries a social, emotional, and financial burden that increases each year. Teachers serve as guides, advisors, psychologists, and often act as surrogate parents for children living in difficult circumstances. However, even teachers themselves struggle to cover basic expenses, support their families, and survive within a system that has long neglected their rightful salary structure and recognition as professionals.
In the classroom, teachers face students burdened with problems at home, poverty, emotional and physical violence, neglect, and constant distractions from the digital world. They also work within a rigid organizational system, an outdated curriculum that no longer meets the needs of shaping young people to function properly in 21st-century society. The role of the teacher has expanded significantly, often beyond what is expected. Teachers lift children from sadness and loneliness, motivate students who have lost hope, and remind everyone that all children and youth have value and a future. However, due to this complexity, teachers rarely have the opportunity, or motivation, to develop the necessary competencies through professional development to address the many challenges they face.
We must realize that without a good team of teachers who are motivated and valued in our country, they too suffer in silence. A teacher who is constantly in survival mode, fatigued or unappreciated, simply cannot give their 100%. And so, Aruba loses its most important resource: the quality of education for our children.
It is time for our country to remember that a teacher is not an expense, but a highly valuable investment for our future. If we want a strong, resilient, corruption-free, just, and prosperous Aruba, we must treat teachers with dignity, provide them with respect, and motivate them through a comprehensive salary restructuring and solid human resource management that reflects their growth and dedication to our children. This should not just be a message of goodwill filled with beautiful words for today, but through action and promises that are finally fulfilled and realized.
On International Teachers’ Day, I, as a teacher, honor all those who persevere despite the lack of recognition. They are the unsung heroes of Aruba. But more than words of thanks, they deserve action. Because without respect for teachers, we as a country are failing our own children and youth.
Photo Credits : https://diario.aw/categories/noticia/politica/dia-internacional-di-maestro-un-reflexion-na-aruba
